Julian created the argyle pattern as part of a redesign of the Tar Heels' men's basketball team uniforms commissioned by the team's then-head coach Dean Smith in 1991. The designer said in a 2009 interview that he took inspiration from an argyle pattern that helped earn him his first Coty Award in 1977. He referred to the pattern his "lucky argyle," and added it to the men's unis.

The argyle has been featured on every iteration of UNC's men's basketball team uniforms since 1991, including the three NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament titles in 1993, 2005, and 2009.

The argyle appears around the collar of the football jerseys, on the sides of the pants, and on the stripe on the helmets.